Nebraska

Energy/Power is dominant: the core dispute is who pays for major new generation, transmission, and interconnection upgrades for very large loads. Water/Geology is the secondary stressor, with opponents pressing for disclosure of water use and broader resource impacts on Nebraska communities.

None identified. The data-center fight is centered in the Legislature and Governor’s office rather than being a clearly defining issue in named 2026 federal or statewide races as of May 12, 2026.

No state-level moratorium or ban is in place as of May 2026. Instead, the Legislature advanced bills that effectively shape the rules for large-load/data-center projects: LB 1111 would require large data centers (20 MW+) to pay full infrastructure costs and prohibit cost-shifting to other customers, while LB 1261 would allow privately built generation for very large industrial loads (greater than 1,000 MW) to connect to the grid under specified conditions. Nebraska Public Media reported the Legislature approved the LB 1261 package 34-7 on April 1, 2026, after debate over data-center impacts; I found no enacted statewide pause or local moratorium of national significance.

LB 1111 (introduced by Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh; co-sponsored by Sens. Terrell McKinney and Ashlei Spivey) would require annual reporting, full-cost service terms for large data centers (20 MW+), prohibit transferring electric service costs to other customers, require decommissioning plans, financial assurance, and community benefits agreements; the official statement of intent is explicit on these provisions. LB 1261 (Gov. Jim Pillen-backed, carried by Sen. Barry DeKay) would let private generators serving industrial customers with projected new load over 1,000 MW interconnect to the grid if the customer pays all costs/fees/upgrades; Flatwater Free Press reported it as tied to the Google/Tenaska proposal. As of May 2026, the legislative package had advanced, but final post-adjournment/enactment status should be checked against the governor’s signature/veto calendar.

None identified.

1) Google/Tenaska southeast Nebraska project — multiple counties in southeast Nebraska (including Gage, Lancaster, Cass, and Otoe counties), proposed hyperscale data center plus privately built gas plant; status: proposed and politically contested. 2) Google Nebraska expansion concept — tied to the same broader Lincoln/Papillion/Omaha footprint and the proposed fourth Nebraska location; status: proposed/under discussion. 3) Tenaska land assembly for AI/business park — southeast Nebraska near a gas pipeline, at least 2,600 acres under option; status: land assembly and contested by local residents concerned about power, water, and siting.

Bold Nebraska; Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission is not an opposition org but has become relevant through conflict disclosures; local county residents and landowners in Gage, Otoe, Cass, and Lancaster counties; Nebraska Public Media cited Sen. Danielle Conrad as the leading legislative critic; there is also evidence of an online campaign/petition titled “Protect Nebraska from Big Tech’s Data Center Drain on Our Resources.”

None identified at the state political-surface layer as of May 2026. Talent and workforce dynamics in Nebraska surface primarily at the sub-state and labor-market level — county and municipal proceedings on named projects, regional building trades council positions, and utility commission workforce testimony — which are out of scope for the tracker's state-political-surface read. Request a full RAIL briefing for sub-state and labor-market analysis.

Growing cluster. Google already has three data center locations in Nebraska (Papillion, Omaha, Lincoln), and recent reporting says a new project could be among the largest in state history; Flatwater reported Google has invested over $3.5 billion in Nebraska digital infrastructure since 2019 and supported about 13,300 annual jobs from 2021-2023.

“We shouldn’t mortgage our land or our water or our power to massive data centers.” — Sen. Danielle Conrad, quoted by Nebraska Public Media on April 1, 2026.

Nebraska Public Media, Flatwater Free Press, Flatwater Free Press, Nebraska Legislature LB 1111 Statement of Intent, Nebraska Legislature LB 1261 Intro Bill, Bold Nebraska